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7/20/2012
HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICE

Heartland Family Service 8th Annual Dueling Pianos Event

NOTE: THE RELEASE BELOW INCLUDES A NAME CHANGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

Escape to Cooks Island is the tropical theme that kicks off the 8th annual Heartland Family Service Strike a Chord fundraiser. The event will be held Friday, August 3, at Harrah’s Convention Center, 1 Harrah’s Boulevard in Council Bluffs, from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. Dave and Jody Edwards will host the event. Tickets are $75 per person ($40 is tax-deductible). Plan to join us for this casual, tropical, fun-filled evening to help less fortunate children and families in Southwest Iowa. Purchase tickets online at http://HeartlandFamilyService.org, contact Heartland Family Service by phone at (712) 435-5350 or email nschulze@HeartlandFamilyService.org.

In addition to lively music, a number of local “celebrity chefs” were selected to create original works of art to be judged and auctioned that evening. The celebrity chefs include Elaine Fenner, Margarite Goodenow, Deb Gordon, Rene Orduna from Dixie Quicks and Dan Peterson. The artists will design a glass platter in the décor of their choice, which will then be auctioned to the highest bidder. Funds raised by the celebrity art auction will be used to help children and families in Southwest Iowa.

This memorable evening will start with the soothing piano stylings of pianist Reuline Nightingale (note name change from first release). Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber returns as event MC; he will lead us into the tropical theme. Byron Menke of Treynor, Iowa, will call the live auction items, including the celebrity art. The evening will build to a lively dueling pianos performance with Randy Keith and Susan Erwin who will involve the audience in dancing and fun-loving entertainment. The menu includes island fare—pork sliders with sweet Hawaiian rolls, sweet potatoes with pineapple and island spices, chicken skewers with teriyaki and mango chutney, fried vegetable rice, vegetable pot stickers, edamame and fried bananas served over vanilla ice cream for dessert.

TWO raffle prizes this year include a 16GB iPad 3 donated by Walmart and two tickets to each of the remaining 2012 Stir concerts at Harrah’s. Live auction items include a progressive dinner hosted by our celebrity artists, a quarter-side of beef and a 2013 CWS package, to name a few.

Strike A Chord 8 is conducted by the agency’s Southwest Iowa Advisory Committee, which includes Suzi Brehmer, Heather Coffelt, Rissa Minette Conner, Jody Edwards, Janella Higgins, Cindy Hoover, Jill Killion, Rick Killion, Tonya Korkow, Kelley Kulesa, Scott McMullen, Martha Peterson, Sara Scott, Janae Sternberg, Joanie Tekippe and Barb Walsh. Nancy Schulze is the Heartland Family Service vice president of Iowa professional services.

This year the event is sponsored by a number of Southwest Iowa businesses. The presenting sponsors include Harrah’s Casino & Hotel and Horseshoe Casino and the event sponsors include Ameristar Casino Hotel, Classic Chevrolet-Cadillac and Full Throttle Motorsports, Edwards-Subaru Hyundai, Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home & Crematory, J. Development Company, Lake Manawa Nissan-Kia and Automart 150, TS Bank and the Walmart Foundation. Corporate Table Sponsorships are still available for $850, including a table of ten; Contributing Sponsorships for $400 includes four tickets. Both receive recognition at the event. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, go to Strike A Chord sponsor opportunities for more information, or contact Nancy Schulze; Vice President, Iowa Professional Services, nschulze@HeartlandFamilyService.org or by phone at (712) 435-5350.

Proceeds from the fundraiser go directly to help children and families in Southwest Iowa. Agency services include support services for the homeless; transitional and permanent supportive housing; a K-12 therapeutic school; mental health counseling; and treatment for substance abuse and compulsive gambling for adults, teens and women with children. Services are provided from eight locations in Southwest Iowa, with offices in Council Bluffs, Logan and Glenwood.

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(Contact: Nancy Schulze, VP of Iowa Professional Services, 712-435-5350 or Dawn Bashara, 402-676-3420)

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